Food & Nutrition: Culinary Techniques, Diets & Metabolic Health

Nutritional health is achieved through the therapeutic use of whole foods, safe culinary preparation, and understanding the metabolic impacts of specific dietary frameworks and ingredients.

Pilaf

Is Rice Acid or Alkaline?

Rice is one of the most widely grown grains in the world, feeding almost half the world’s population every day. It is rich in minerals, containing calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc, as well as folate, or B-9, and trace amounts of other B vitamins, according to the U.S.

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 Food at outdoor dinner party in countryside

Is Creatine a Safe Supplement for Teenagers?

Creatine is an amino acid that is produced by your body, and it is also found in dietary sources such as meat and fish, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your body converts creatine into creatine phosphate or phosphocreatine and stores it in your muscles.

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bowl of homemade hummus with breadsticks

Is Hummus Fattening?

A staple of Middle Eastern diets, as well as a popular hors d'oeuvre around the world, hummus can be either a boon or a bust to your own diet. A garbanzo bean-based paste, it's easy to incorporate it into your meal plan.

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muesli

Raisin Bran for Constipation

Bowel regularity is more of an individual experience than a collective one. One person might get rid of solid waste once or twice a day, while another might have the urge to eliminate just once every couple of days.

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young woman at home eating yogurt

The Best Types of Yogurt to Prevent Diarrhea

It sounds contradictory, yet it’s true: You may need to avoid milk when you have diarrhea, but a milk product -- yogurt -- can help prevent it. Some differences among types of yogurt, such as whether it contains fruit, won't impact diarrhea. But a few factors are important.

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Fresh spinach in a bowl on rustic wooden background

Health Benefits of Alugbati

Alugbati is also known as basella, Malabar spinach, Indian spinach or vine spinach. It has dark green leaves similar to regular spinach but with green-purple stems. It grows in a vining rather than bush pattern and has a slightly more fibrous texture than regular spinach.

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close-up of a bowl of dip

Guacamole Nutrition Facts

Compared to traditional salsa, guacamole sometimes requires a more adventurous palate. Its texture and green appearance may raise an eyebrow at first, but guacamole contains a wealth of essential nutrients not found in more processed alternatives, such as mayonnaise.

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Flax seed

Are Flaxseed and Linseed Meal the Same?

People often consume flaxseed meal for health purposes. This substance comes from the seeds of the Linum usitatissimum plant, an annual plant that likely originated in Egypt. Flaxseed also goes by the common name of linseed. Flaxseed meal and linseed meal are the same substance – the only difference is in the name.

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Is Whole Milk or 2 Percent Milk Better for Protein Shakes?

You might take protein shakes after exercise to boost muscle building. If you are underweight, protein shakes can also help you gain healthy weight. Homemade shakes usually contain protein powder, fruit or nut butter and milk. The type of milk you use depends on your goals and health needs.

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Pretty woman drinking coffee

Can Caffeine Kick You Out of Ketosis?

Low-carb dieters who consume very few carbohydrates often go into ketosis. Ketosis develops when you use up your glycogen stores and need an alternate source of energy. Your body forms ketone bodies as it breaks down fat to use for energy, and you excrete ketones in the urine.

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banana black background

Lysine in Bananas

Bananas are a nutritious tropical fruit suitable for eating raw or cooked. Including bananas in your diet means you take in a variety of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, including lysine. Your body can't make lysine, so getting it through the foods you eat is critical.

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Can I Take Expired Zinc Supplements?

You may buy of bottle of vitamins or minerals, take them for a few weeks and then stop. They may stay in your medicine cabinet for a few years without you thinking about the expiration date -- until you decide to start taking the supplement again.

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side profile of a pregnant woman holding a bowl of strawberries

Fruits Recommended for Pregnant Women

Maintaining proper nutrition during pregnancy is important not only for your baby's health but also for the mother's health, too. Incorporating fruit into your pregnancy diet is a healthy, delicious way to boost your nutrient intake, while aiding in the growth and development of your baby.

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Pomegranate and seeds, High angle view

Pomegranate & Constipation

Approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population -- around 42 million children and adults -- suffers from constipation, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While a number of factors may cause constipation, a change in your eating habits is one of the most effective treatments.

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Woman buying milk at the store

Are There Side Effects to Drinking a Gallon of Milk a Day?

Milk can certainly be a part of your diet. It’s high in bone-building minerals, offers muscle-building protein and has plenty of B vitamins to keep your energy up. But just because milk has healthy components doesn’t mean you can drink as much as you want.

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Chicken drumsticks with french fries

What Foods Contain Histidine?

Amino acids are considered the building blocks of protein. When protein is digested, it is broken down into individual amino acids. There are 20 amino acids, which are known as either essential or nonessential. Essential amino acids must be taken through the diet to meet daily nutritional needs.

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The Breakdown of Whey Protein Amino Acids

Whey contains all of the essential amino acids, or EAAs, your body needs but cannot produce itself. There are nine EAAs and each has its own function in the body. It’s important to get enough EAAs each day, especially when trying to build and maintain lean muscle mass.

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Polycythemia & Elevated B12

Polycythemia vera is a disease of the bone marrow and leads to an increased number of red blood cells. Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is needed for red blood cell production. Correcting a vitamin B-12 deficiency can unmask the symptoms of polycythemia vera.

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Cup of coffee with coffee beans

Can Coffee Cause Gas and an Upset Stomach?

Coffee, in all its many forms, is enjoyed by 83 percent of American adults, according to a 2013 report from the National Coffee Association. The potential health benefits of coffee have drawn the attention of researchers, the media and the public.

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